Tag Archives: physical fitness

Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup

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Hey everyone!  It’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week and this week we are going to work your upper body.  The exercise is called a Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup and this will primarily work your pectoral muscles.  Assisting in the movement will be your deltoids and triceps, and your core will get a great workout too!

In the video I use a medicine ball which is great to use because the weight of the ball will activate more muscles to push it across but if you don’t have one then you can use a soccer ball, volleyball, or basketball.

The purpose of using a ball in this pushup exercise is to increase stabilization of your body which is what the offset hand position will cause your shoulders, chest, and core to do.  Also, the side the ball is on will work through a longer range of motion, increasing muscle activation.

So let’s take a look at how to do the Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup properly.

  • get in to your pushup postion with one hand on the ball and one hand on the floor
  • lower your chest to about an inch from the floor then press back up
  • once at the top of the pushup, push the ball across to your other hand and you will now be in position to do the other side
  • repeat the pushup and medicine ball roll until you complete your desired amount of reps
  • if you are a beginner and you have trouble doing the full pushup, you can modify this exercise to do it from your knees.  Just make sure you keep your butt down and body straight.

There you have the Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup!  This is a great variation to the standard pushup that will challenge your muscles in new ways!

Side Plank Contralateral Knee Tuck

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Hey there!  I have a new Home Exercise of the Week to show you and this core exercise is going to target your obliques as well as work your shoulders isometrically.  It’s called the Side Plank Contralateral Knee Tuck and it is quite challenging so take it slow until you get the hang of it and then work your way up to higher reps.

Let’s take a look at the key points to doing the Side Plank Contralateral Knee Tuck properly.

  • start in a side plank position with your elbow directly under your shoulder
  • offset your foot position by bringing your top leg to the front and your bottom leg to the back
  • raise your hips up until your body is straight and contract your abdominals
  • extend your top arm overhead and from this position drive your bottom knee up underneath you and at the same time bend your top arm so the elbow and knee meet in the middle
  • squeeze your abdominals then return to the starting position
  • repeat for the desired amount of time or reps then do the same for the other side

So there you have the Side Plank Contralateral Knee Tuck.  It’s a tough one but well worth the effort!  If you have any questions please comment on this post or feel free to email me.

Happy planking!

Quick Glute Firming Workout

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Hey there!  It’s time for a new Home Workout of the Week.  Everyone is looking to firm up their backside and to do that you need to strengthen and challenge your glutes.  With glutesthis Glute Firming Workout you will do just that.  You’re butt and legs are going to be screaming at you but it’ll be worth it!  You’ll also be working your core as well as burning a lot of calories due to the cardiovascular nature of circuit training.

Make sure you properly warm up, perform 3 rounds of each superset, then stretch.

Click on the links to see video demonstrations of the exercises.

 

Glute Firming Circuit

Warm-Up

  • 12 Bodyweight Squats
  • 12 Glute Bridges
  • 12 Spiderman Climbs
  • 10 Spinal Rotations for each side
  • 10 Shoulder Circles for each arm

Superset

Rest 1 minute then repeat the superset 2 more times

 

Hip Bridge Swing

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Hey everyone!  I have a new Home Exercise of the Week for you to try.  This one is called the Hip Bridge Swing and it’s a great exercise to work your hamstrings, glutes, triceps, shoulders, and obliques!

Let’s take a look at the key points to doing the Hip Bridge Swing properly.

  • start by sitting on your mat with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and leaning back on your hands
  • from this position you will drive your hips upward while squeezing your glutes, contracting your abs, and keeping your head in line with your spine
  • from the top position of the exercise take your right hand off the floor and reach up and over across your body to your left twisting and contracting your abs as you do so
  • return your right hand to the floor and lower your hips until you are almost touching the floor
  • drive your hips up again until your body is as straight as can be and lift your left hand up and over towards the right side of your body while contracting your abs
  • return to the starting position while keeping your butt off the floor throughout the entire set and repeat for the desired amount of reps or time

So there you have the Hip Bridge Swing!  Add this in to your lower body or full body routine and get those glues and hamstrings burning!

Mountain Climber Kickback

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Hey there!  I have a new Home Exercise of the Week for you to try and this week we’re going to focus on your core and glutes.

The exercise is called the Mountain Climber Kickback and it will primarily work your abdominals, glutes, and lower back.  It will also isometrically work your shoulders and arms.

Let’s take a look at how to do the Mountain Climber Kickback properly.

  • get in to a full plank position with your hands on the floor and in line underneath your shoulders
  • make sure your body is straight with your head in line with your spine, glutes flexed, and your belly button pulled in toward your spine
  • without raising your hips up too much drive your left knee up towards your left arm and crunch the abs
  • extend the leg back and raise it up while squeezing your glutes
  • repeat for desired amount of reps or time then complete a set with your right leg

So there you have the Mountain Climber Kickback.  Add this in to your workout routine and get your core and glutes burning!